Teachers’ and Students’ Attitudes towards In-class Debate as a Learning Strategy for the Amelioration of Students’ Oral Proficiency.

Abstract

The current study attempts to discover EFL students’ and teachers’ attitudes towards inclass debate as a tool to enhance students’ oral proficiency. To fulfill this aim, a quantitative descriptive method was followed. Two questionnaires were designed and administered to check whether teachers and students have positive or negative attitudes towards the use of in-class debate as a learning strategy for ameliorating students’ oral proficiency. The sample was composed of four teachers of oral expression from the department of English, university of Guelma and ninety-five second year LMD students from the same department. The results obtained indicated that both teachers and students have positive attitudes towards the use of in-class debate and its role in developing students’ oral proficiency. On their part, teachers have shown how effective and fruitful the use of debates in oral classes could be; the analysis of teachers' questionnaire has demonstrated the cognitive, psychological, and educational benefits the use of debates brings about. Similarly, learners' answers have indicated their preference of these techniques as it allows them to speak up their minds and take stands. Learners and teachers support the use of debates because they allow enjoyable effective oral proficiency progression to take place. Therefore, teachers need to put on more effort in oral classes content and try to incorporate as much interesting elements to learners as possible. Students also need to work hard on their linguistic skills and behavioral ones, they need to trust themselves and act actively in classes.